How to Verify a Solar Company Before You Sign (Florida License & Reputation Check)

The equipment on your roof matters, but the company that installs it and backs the workmanship warranty matters just as much. A 25-year warranty is worthless if the installer dissolves in year 4 — and Florida has no shortage of solar outfits that appear, pressure-sell a neighborhood, and vanish. Before you sign, run this 15-minute background check.

## 1. Verify the contractor license (Florida CILB)

Solar installation in Florida requires a properly licensed contractor — typically a Certified Electrical Contractor (EC) or a Certified Solar Contractor (CVC), and the work must be permitted and inspected. Verify the license at the Florida DBPR license lookup (myfloridalicense.com):

- Confirm the **license number on your proposal matches** the company actually doing the work — not a "borrowed" license from a subcontractor. - Check the license is **active**, not expired or suspended. - Note **how long** the license has been held. A license issued three months ago is a yellow flag for a company promising 25-year support.

Many door-to-door "solar companies" are actually sales/dealer organizations that subcontract the install. That is not automatically bad, but you want to know **who holds the license, who pulls the permit, and who you call in year 6** when a panel fails.

## 2. Confirm insurance and bonding

Ask for proof of: - **General liability insurance** (protects you if they damage your home). - **Workers'' compensation** (protects you if a worker is injured on your roof — without it, you can be exposed).

A legitimate company provides certificates without hesitation.

## 3. Check the corporate history

Search the company name on **Sunbiz.org** (Florida Division of Corporations): - How long has the legal entity existed? - Has it been dissolved and re-registered under a new name? (A pattern of dissolving and reopening is how some operators shed warranty obligations and bad reviews.) - Does the name on the contract match the registered entity?

## 4. Read reviews the right way

- Look at **Google, BBB, and the Florida AG complaint trends** — not just the star average, but the *content* of 1–3 star reviews. Patterns matter: repeated mentions of "stopped responding after install," "permit took months," or "system underproducing" are louder signals than the overall rating. - Be skeptical of a wall of identical 5-star reviews posted in a short window. - Search "[company name] + lawsuit" and "[company name] + complaint."

## 5. Pressure-test the warranty backing

Ask: **"Is your workmanship warranty backed by a third-party warranty insurer, or is it just the company''s promise?"** An insurer-backed warranty survives the company going out of business. A self-backed one does not. This single question separates durable operators from fly-by-night ones.

## Red flags that should stop you

- The license number does not match the company, or they will not provide it. - The entity was registered in the last few months but claims years of experience. - Reviews show a pattern of post-install ghosting. - They refuse to provide insurance certificates. - The hard sell intensifies the moment you ask any of these questions.

## The 15-minute checklist

1. License active + matches proposal (myfloridalicense.com) ✓ 2. General liability + workers'' comp certificates ✓ 3. Entity age + history (Sunbiz.org) ✓ 4. Review content (not just stars) + lawsuit/complaint search ✓ 5. Workmanship warranty insurer-backed? ✓

## FAQ

**Do I need to use a local installer?** Not necessarily, but you need one who is licensed in Florida, pulls the permit under that license, and will realistically still exist to service the system. Local + established is a safer bet for long-term support.

**The salesperson''s company is different from the installer''s name. Is that bad?** Common in the dealer model. Not automatically bad — but verify which entity holds the license, pulls the permit, and owns the workmanship warranty, and make sure that entity is the one named in your contract.

**What if I already signed and now have doubts?** Florida contracts typically include a cancellation window. Check your contract for the rescission period and act quickly if the background check raises real concerns.

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*Want a second opinion on both the company and the quote before you commit? Send me the proposal and the installer name — I will run the check and break down the numbers for free.*